intransitive

intransitive — adjective

IPA/ɪnˈtrænzətɪv/
IPA/ɪnˈtrænzətɪv/
  • intransitivepositive
  • more intransitivecomparative
  • most intransitivesuperlative

1. describing a verb that is complete on its own and is not followed by a person or

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing a verb that is complete on its own and is not followed by a person or thing that receives the action.

Example

The teacher explained that the verb "sleep" is intransitive, so we never say "sleep something".

the verb X is intransitive (talking about a specific verb)

In this exercise, Vivek had to circle every intransitive verb in the short story.

intransitive verb (common noun phrase)

Common collocations
  • intransitive verb
  • intransitive use
  • purely intransitive
Antonyms
  • transitive

    describes a verb that does take an object

Usage Note

Only describes verbs, never nouns or adjectives. The opposite is "transitive", which describes a verb that needs an object. Some verbs can be both, depending on the sentence.

Common Mistakes

He gave an intransitive answer.
The verb in his answer is intransitive.
the word describes verbs, not answers or other things.

intransitive — noun

IPA/ɪnˈtræn.sə.tɪv/
IPA/ɪnˈtræn.sə.t̬ɪv/

Word family

Common collocations

Nouns

  • intransitive verb

Phrases

  • transitive and intransitive verbs

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Built from the prefix "in-", meaning "not", added to "transitive". "Transitive" comes from Latin "transire", "to go across" — the idea that the action passes across from the doer to an object. An intransitive verb is one where the action does not pass across to anything, so no object follows.

First known use

1612

1612, in the meaning defined above